Pavement joint



y 1943-- A. E. BRICKMAN 2,325,472

PAVEMENT JOINT Filed April 18, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 27, 1943 A. E. BRlcKMAN 2,325,472

PAVEMENT JOINT Filed April 18, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 44/1 5 BRICK/174M July 27, 1943.

A. E. BRICKMAN 2,325,472

PAVEMENT JOINT Filed April is, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet a FEEL 7 Fig-7.

' FIG. 14.

bwentar: flLflN EBB/c1414 Patented July 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAVEMENT Jomr Alan E. Brickman, Monongahela, .Pa., asaignor to i i The American Steel and Wire Company of New I Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application Apr-i118, 1941, Serial No. 389,235

12 Claims. (CI. 94-18) This invention relates to pavement joints of the type designed to maintain surface align-.- ment and particularly to'detailed improvements in socket elements for receiving a dowel adapted to extend across the gap between adjacent con- .crete road slabs and to means for supporting the dowel lements in prescribed relation through the pouring andsetting stages of the concrete.

The invention makes available a highly efficient pavement joint such as used in present day vehicular highways. One object is to provide, in combination with a pair of adjacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween and a dowel piercing the division member and extending into the slabs, respective dowel receiving socket members embedded in the slabs and a chair made of resilient material and having upright arms engageable with the outer extremities of the socket members wherein the in- I herent resiliency of the upright arms of the chair serve prior to the rig idifying or setting of the concrete slabs to position the socket members and yieldingly hold the inner ends thereof in firm engagement with the division member.

Another object is to provide a chair which serves the double function of closing the bores in dowel socket members and supporting the outer ends thereof, and another object is to provide a form of yielding assembly of the socket members in their engagement with the division member which, with the setting and initial shrinkage of the cement, will follow such shrinkage and not materially break the bond of cement to said socket member.

A further object of the invention is to provide socket members and a chair having the novel structural characteristics hereinafter set forth in detail for performing the individual and join functions described.

The above and further objects of the invention will be fully apparent-from a consideration of the following detailed disclosure when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and the invention will be defined in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes in the appended. claims.

In said drawings:

' Figure 1 is .a longitudinalsection through a pavement joint embodying the invention; f l igure2 is a similar section illustrating a modification;

Figures is a side elevation members shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view from the left hand of Figof one of the socket ill Figure 81s a detail view illustrating a modified detachable connection between one end of the socket member and the extremities of a resilient arm of th socket positioning chair;

Figure 9 is a detail view of the extremity of the resilient arm of the chair shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an end view of the modified form of chair and dowel positioning means shown in Figure 2;

Figure 11 is a detail view of the modified form of dowel positioning socket member shown in Figure 2;

Figure 12 is a view from the ure 11;

Figure 13 is an inverted plan of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a detail view of the modified form of chair shown in Figure 2 illustrating the members secured thereto for closing the dowel bores left hand of Figin the outer ends of the socket members;

Figure 15 is a detail of a foot clip; and

base.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that it is common practice to provide dowel means engaging contiguous portions of concrete road slabs. However, many of the dowel connectors of the prior art are relatively expensive to manufacture and cumbersome to handle in the field. The present invention provides dowel positioning sockets and an improved chair therefor which can be easily and quickly installed. The component parts are so constructed and arranged that they can'be readily assembled by relatively unskilled labor without causing confusion and improper assemblage. The improved dowel positioning socket members and chairs for holding them in place prior to the pouring of the concrete will now be described.

Referring in detail to the drawings, first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, the numerals ll and-l2 represent adjacent concrete slabs of a vehicular highway pavement. These are separated by an expansion joint formed by a. suitable filling of tar or the like, indicated at ll. According to conventional practice in the 2 for supporting the usual dowels 22 which ex- 7 tend transversely across the Joint between the adjacent slabs, this dowel member passing through a suitable hole' 24 formed in the separator.

The dowel socket members l8 and 20 are of identical construction, as illustrated in Figures 3, i and 5. Therefore, a description of one will sufllce for both. Each dowel member at its inner end has an enlarged flange 26 which as shown is of circular form of considerably larger diameter than the body portion 28 thereof. Horizontally disposed ribs 303il extend outwardly from the body portion and serve to provide a generous bearing area of contact between the socket member and the respective slabs in which they are embedded. These lateral extensions 3|) provide a generous area so as to contribute a very effective stress distribution bearing for the dowel 22 in transmitting traflic load. The extensions are of such form and are so located that they beneficially contribute to the ease of fiow of wet concrete thereover. As illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 4, the extensions 30 include a gradient portion on each side of the longitudinal center line which merges with the body of the bearing member in a' sweeping curve. This expedites the easy flow of wet concrete thereover. The ribs 3030 of the socket members 58 and 20 hear such relation to the cavity 54 and to the upper extremities of the arms 38 that said ribs very effectively contribute to the attainment of the desired magnitude of bearing area in contact with and reacting against the concrete bodies of the pavement slabs.

The outer end of each socket member in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fignres 1 through 5 is formed with an enlargement, indicated at 32, having a cavity 36 formed therein constituting an interlocking and positioning seat for the upper extremity 38 of an upright arm 38 rising from the body portion 30 of a socket positioning chair which is preferably made of spring steel or other suitable resilient metal. The chair illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 7 is made of substantially flat stock with a rounded inner surface and is of a cross section sometimes referred to as half-oval. The chair is provided with suitable holes adapted to receive spikes 32 which are driven into the subsoil so as to properly position the chair during erection.

In the described construction the dowel 22 is of such length that a generou clearance is left between its outer end and the end of the socket member, thus a void of suficient length is left in the socket member to provide for an appreciable amount of contraction and expansion, it being understood that the dowels make a loose working fit with the socket members.

The extremities of the resilient arms 38 of the chair shown in Figures 1 and 6 serve as closures which efiectively prevent concrete or other foreign matter from entering the bore or inner dowel receiving cavity 4d formed in the socket member. It is deemed advantageous to provide the socket members with a dowel receiving bore or cavity extending from end to end thereof since this permits of certain manufacturing economies. For example, the holes can be cored from end to end by simple casting methods or alternatively, they can be bored and reamed out by use of a tool which can be caused to extend all the way through the socket member. It is deemed important, however, to close the, end of the bore 44 in the socket member. In the embodiment of Figures 1, 6 and '7, the closure is effected solel by the extremity of the resilient arms of the chair, the width of the arm being at least as great as the diameter or the bore. In Figures 8 and 9 the width of the chair stock is sufilcient to form a closure and lugs 31 are provided which enter the bore 44.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fi ures 2 and 14, the closure is efiected in a slightly difierent manner. -In this embodiment of the invention the socket members are identical with the member shown in Figures 1 and 3 in all particulars except that the outer extremity of each socket difiers in the details to now be vdescribed. In this modification, as best shown in Figures 11 and 12, instead of providing the cavity shown in Figure 4, I provide an outer flange 36 whose outer face 48 is plain or fiat. Extending longitudinally from the upper end of the flange there are a pair of lugs 505ll which jointly form r. a notch 52 which serves to position the upper extremity 54 of the arm 56 of the modified form of chair 5-8 here illustrated. In this alternative embodiment of the invention the chair is formed of plain round steel wire of fairly heavy gage.

Foot clips til are welded or clinched'thereto to provide means for preventing the chair from toppling over during erection. Alternatively, instead of providing base clips in the form of separate elements, the base portion 58 could be made in the form of laterally bent extensions -62, as shown in Fi ure 16.

When th chair is formed of round spring rod or wire as shown in Figures 2, l4 and 16, the closure for the end of the bore in the dowel socket member is effected by means of a shelllike plug 3 which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the resilient arm of the chair as shown.

In the modification of Figure 2, a contraction joint is illustrated wherein the modified form of socket members E8 are held in contact with the opposite faces of a sheet metal division plate 66. This plate is of conventional form and is normally provided with a base in the form of an angular flange such as indicated at 68. This plate can be readily embossed upwardly, as indicated at W, so as to accommodate the median portion of the body of the chair 58, as will be readily understood.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, it is customary to provide a sheet metal positioning member 112 to form a support for initially positioning the transverse separator it. Such base can be readily slotted at the bottom to accommodate the median portion of the chair db and a corresponding slot or notch can be cut in the separator it.

A feature common to the embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 is that the resilient arms of the chair serve the double function of closing the dowel receiving bore in the socket members and supporting the outer ends of said members. The inherent resiliency of the spring metal of thechairs is sufiicient to forming an interlocking seat for interengagement entire interval of time that the concrete is setting. Thus the parts follow the shrinkage incident to solidification of the concrete. This is of importance for it thus prevents the breakage of the desired bond between the cement and said socket members.

While I have described quite precisely certain details of construction of the embodiments oi the invention illustrated, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

IcIaim:

1. A pavement joint for vehicular highways comprising a pair of adjacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween, a dowel piercing said member, a respective dowel positioning socket member embedded in each of said slabs, and a resilient chair consisting of a length of heavy metal having at its ends integral inwardly bowed upwardly extending spring arms engaging the outer portions of said socket members and serving priorto the rigidifying or setting of said concrete slabs to position said socket members and yieldingly press their inner ends into firm engagement with said division member.

2. A pavement joint for vehicular highways comprising a pair of adjacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween, a dowel piercing said member, a respective dowel positioning socket member'embedded in each of said slabs and each having an internal bore extending from end to end thereof, and a one-piece chair of spring metal consisting of a base portion and spaced inwardly bowed upright arms of sufficient width to form respective closures for the outer ends of the bores in said socket members, said. arms being inwardly biased by the inherent resiliency of said bowed arms serving prior to the rigidifying or setting of said slabs to position said socket members and yieldingly press the inner ends thereof into firm engagement with said division member.

3. A pavement joint for vehicular highways comprising a pair of adjacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween, a'- dowel piercing said member, a respective dowel positioning socket member embedded in each of said slabs and each having an internal bore extending from end to end thereof, and a chair consisting of a base of spring metal having spaced inwardly bowed upright arms characterized by an inward spring bias and carrying respective closure members for the outer ends of the bores in said socket members, said arms serving prior to the rigidii'ying or setting of said slabs to position said socket members and yieldingly press the inner ends thereof into firm engagement with said division member.

4. The joint of claim 1 further characterized in that each socket member has an enlarged annular flange at its inner end seated against said division member.

5. The joint of claim 2 further characterized in that the outer end oi said socket member is formed with a seat for interengagement with the upper portion of said chair arm.

6. The Joint of claim 1 further characterized in that each socket member has an enlarged annular flange at its inner end pressing against said division member and in that the outer end of said socket member is formed with a cavity with the upper extremity of said chair arm.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising a dowel, a pair of complementary dowel positioning socket members coacting therewith and each having a bore extending from end to end thereof, a chair having a base and respective integral upright outwardly sprung bowed resilient arms carrying closing means engaging the bores at the outer ends of said socket members.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising a dowel, a pair of complementary dowel positioning socket members coacting therewith, each having a bore extending from end to end thereof, a spring metal chair having a base and respective integral upright bowed arms compressively engaging the outer portions of said socket members so as to yieldingly urged them toward one another.

9. In combination with a pair of opposed concrete road slabs with a transverse separator member between them, respective socket members on opposite sides thereof each with a bore extending from end to end thereof, a chair consisting of a spring metal base and respective integral upright bowed arms contacting the outer portions of the socket members, each arm serving the double function of closing a respective bore and supporting the outer end of a respective socket member.

10. In combination with a pair of opposed concrete road slabs with a transverse separator member between them, respective socket members on opposite sides thereof with a bore extending from end to end thereof, and a chair of spring metal having a base portion and integral upright arms, said arms being bowed and inherently sprung in toward said socket members and having plug-like closures secured thereto adapted to enter the bores in the socket members.

11. A pavement Joint comprising a pair of ad- Jacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween, a dowel, a respective dowel positioning socket member embedded in each of said slabs r and each having a cavity into which said dowel portions of said socket members to yieldingiy press them toward the division member during the interval when the concrete of said slabs is in process of setting so that the parts follow the -movements occasioned by the shrinkage due to setting of the concrete so as to thus maintain a good bond between the concrete mass and the socket members.

12. A pavement Joint for vehicular highways, comprising a pair of adJacent concrete slabs, a division member therebetween, a dowel piercing said member. a respective dowel-positioning member embedded in each of said slabs, and a chair consisting of a length of heavy metal having at its ends integral inwardly bowed upwardly extending resilient arms engaging the outer portions of said dowel positioning members. and serving, prior to the rigidifying or setting of said concrete slabs, to position said dowel positioningmembers and yleldingly press their inner extremities into firm engagement with said division member.

ALAN E. BRICKMAN. 

